Ubisoft has announced a beta test for the multiplayer mode of Assassin's Creed: Revelations, the latest instalment in the blockbusting historical stealth adventure series. The test will kick off on September 3, but until the 11th, only PlayStation 3 owners will get to take part.

The beta is set to offer nine characters – The Sentinel, The Vanguard, The Guardian, The Vizier, The Thespian, The Deacon, The Bombardier, The Trickster and The Champion – all boasting different abilities. There will also be four modes available, the previously seen Wanted and Manhunt options joined by new Deathmatch and Artifact Assault variants. The development team has been tweaking the multiplayer component since the series originally introduced the feature in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. We thoroughly enjoyed the new version of the intriguingly cat-and-mouse-like Manhunt mode at Ubisoft's London showcase event last month.

Timed exclusives have become a common element of the video game release schedule. Sometimes, the exclusives are for specific platforms: Modern Warfare 3 will feature DLC that will be available only on Xbox 360 for a short period. Other deals are cut with retailers – the Battlefield 3: Physical Warfare pack, which features exclusive weapons and maps, will only be available when the full game is pre-ordered through Game and Gamestation in the UK. However, it arrives as a DLC add-on for everyone else later. For the game publisher, payments and joint-marketing deals can be the incentive, for the retailer or platform-holder, the hope is that they're able to capture a larger amount of the initial release rush.

Anyway, back to Assassin's Creed and Ubisoft also released this trailer for the series today. Check it out:

Assassin's Creed: Revelations is released on November 15 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.